Strings Attached

"It's for the better"

did y'all know that I love cackling? hehehehehhehehehehe

........

Shawn's POV

Was it weird that I couldn't glance away from her?

Camila just looked so peaceful, a small smile on her face and no crinkles of stress resembling anywhere. With the sun streaming through the curtain blinds and onto her face, she looked gorgeous.

Staring at her further, my mind wandered to the yestereve. Fuck, I hadn't been expecting that. It was everything I craved for, though, mostly since I had learned my newfound affections for her.

But it couldn't mean anything from her side, could it? She was still hung up on that other guy, proffering me an impression that this may have been a pity fuck. If that was the case— which, most likely, it was— I should be terribly bothered about it. But I couldn't possibly be mad at her, and I wouldn't ever be able to blame her if this was just a pity fuck.

Without warning, I felt her stir in my arms, and I licked my lips as I watched those coffee-coloured orbs come in sight again. A smile reached my lips as she looked around and grasped everything.

"Hey," I whispered softly. Camila glanced at me, and her smile grew broader.

"Hi," she whispered back, gazing right into my eyes. She sniffled a bit, her arms hugging me tighter—though that seemed to be unconscious— and she bit her lip nervously.

Her hands suddenly reached for mine, squeezing it tight, and I beamed. With the other hand that hadn't been occupied with hers, I brushed her hair back and let that hand linger upon her cheeks. I let out a whimsical sigh.

She was so pretty—that smile of hers, especially. With no traces of tears, she looked genuinely delighted.

"I..." She started suddenly, but she couldn't finish her sentence as she cut herself off. I furrowed my eyebrows, tilted my head to the side a bit, questioningly. She just shook her head and smiled.

She leaned up slightly, her lips brushing against mine so delicately, almost like butterfly wings. She breathed softly, and as I could feel it mingle with my own, she let out an inane giggle.

Ultimately, she smoothed her lips firmly upon my lips, and I pulled her closer. Her lips were soft, more delicate than silk even. And so long used to the way she kissed me, I still felt as though it was the first time we kissed. Except our first kiss was much shyer, as it was a dare given in our younger years. But our first real kiss felt precisely like this.

Camila leaned back a tiny bit, but she lay close together, not pulling away from our embrace.

"Shawn," she muttered slowly. I opened my eyes and found her watching me, with a similar look she had been giving me last night. "I..." She trailed off and swallowed.

"Go on," I prompted considerately. She sounded slightly despondent, though she did appear imperceptibly inspirited for the most part.

"I... I need to confess something," she mumbled, before taking in an abysmal breath. "Look, this is probably one of the most obdurate revelations I'd ever have to say, but I realize that... maybe I have to. I can't hinder it in anymore, Shawn. I lo—"

Right before she could conclude her sentence, my phone vibrated. I let out an exasperated huff. I was enraptured and concerned and restless as to what Camila ached to confess, but the phone kept sounding, so I picked up the damned contraption.

"Hello," I muttered bitterly into the phone. Camila just had her mouth sealed close, and her eyes wide.

"Heyya," I heard Hailey's voice, and I immediately grimaced. I really didn't fancy her too much. "I don't know if you remember — because you literally don't pay any consideration to the meetings — but we have a fixed paparazzi meeting in an hour or two."

"Oh," I grimaced. I did overlook that due to yesterday's events. "Well, thanks for reminding me, Hailey—" And right then, I heard Camila gasp and sit upright. I glimpsed over towards her, and her eyes were more widespread than before, and her jaw was dropped, a startled expression taking over her entire face.

"Hailey," she whispered. "Hailey. Oh, for fucks sake."

Then, her eyes connected with mine, and I saw fear and anxiousness. I inhaled sharply and whispered, "I'll see you later", to Hailey before lowering my phone.

"Camila—"

"I can't believe myself," she kept muttering, and I furrowed my eyebrows. "You're still in a relationship with Baldwin."

"No, Camila—"

I tried to vindicate to her that Hailey and I were just in an artificial association for publicity, but Camila kept grousing about last night being a mistake and one that was hers to blame, which stung.

"I have to go," she suddenly said, as she blinked and stared down at the sheets. Then she sighed, "No, I don't. I can't even leave my fucking house." She scowled inappreciably.

"Camila."

She overlooked when I called out her name and instead said, "Maybe it's just better if we forget about last night."

"What?"

Camila finally looked at me again, and as she was chewing on her lips, she muttered, "Won't it be better? You can go to Hailey and apologize, and explain to her that you... that you never wanted last night to ever happen, and maybe, she will understand." Then, she glanced up at me, her eyes red and tears just spilling out. I felt like crying too. "And we forget about this. It's for the better."

It's for the better.

Yeah... It's for the better.

Camila didn't even like me in that way, did she? She was in love with someone else. There wouldn't even be any value in telling Camila that Hailey and I weren't real and that I could only narrowly stand Hailey.

So, with a sigh and a broken heart, I nodded. 

At that point, it was over, unless... unless I would confess...